


A familiar  Tune

by Tez_Megido



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Humanstuck, M/M, Minor Aradia Megido/Feferi Peixes, Pepsicola, bandstuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:27:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25865878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tez_Megido/pseuds/Tez_Megido
Summary: John Egbert and Dave Strider were an inseparable pair in high school. They thought they would be bros forever, but the world had other plans for them. Or did it...
Relationships: Jade Harley/Nepeta Leijon, John Egbert/Dave Strider, Rose Lalonde/Kanaya Maryam, Sollux Captor/Karkat Vantas
Comments: 5
Kudos: 21





	1. Reunion

John Egbert and Dave Strider were an inseparable pair in high school. They thought they would be bros forever, but the world had other plans for them. Or did it. 

______

A college student stands in his dorm, this young man’s name is John Egbert. it just so happens that today the 17th of October, John is going to a concert. Or at least that’s what his cousin Jade said. Two days ago she texted him “Hey you’re coming with me to go see Nep’s band play on the 17th don’t say you’re busy because i know you’re not ;B” 

John has absolutely no idea what to wear. He decided on a pair of loose blue jeans, a ghostbusters t-shirt and a blue flannel. John’s phone buzzes, it’s a text from Jade, “I’m outside Hurry up!” John grabs a blue grey beanie and a black jacket and starts heading down to meet Jade. He spots her dark blue minivan and gets in on the passenger side. 

“Hey John, you ready to go?”

“Yup!”

________

Jade had to park a few blocks away from the venu. As they walked John started to wonder what kind of music this band plays, he doesn’t know much about Nepeta other than that she’s Jade’s girlfriend and she likes cats. When they got there Jade showed the ushers her phone, and they directed her and John to their seats. They were in the middle of the third row. They rest of the seats that weren't already filled were gradually taken by hipsters, goths, and teenage girls. Around a half an hour after John and Jade arrived a loud raspy voice same onto the speakers. 

“EVERYONE BETTER GET THEIR ASSES IN THEIR SEATS THE SHOW IS ABOUT TO BEGIN! '' the lights dimmed,everyone started cheering . 

Spotlights started strobing on the stage to reveal four figures on the stage. Off to the right there was a short angry looking guy with fluffy black hair, he was wearing a black short sleeve button up that had the top three buttons undone and ripped black skinny jeans he also had a bass hanging from a strap on his shoulder. Next to him, but a little towards the back Jades girlfriend was beaming as she sat at a Drumset, with the words “Turntech Godhead” scribbled on the bass drum in red, John could only see her head, she had on the same blue hat with cat ears she always wore. All the way to the left a tall lanky boy was messing with a guitar, half of his black curly hair has bleached, he was wearing some tacky 3-D glasses, a lose yellow tank top and some baggy ripped jeans with chains hanging from the belt. But the guy somewhat closer to the middle caught John's eye the most, he was average height,had bleach blonde hair, was wearing a tight black t-shirt some black skinny jeans and a red flannel around his waist, he also had on a pair of Ben Stiller shades. Something about him was so familiar to John.

He grabbed the mic off the stand and spoke “Y’all ready to hear some sick beats!” His voice John knew he recognized it… but from where? “I’m Dave Strider, and this is Turntech Godhead.”

That’s when it hit him, Dave Strider. John’s best friend in high school. Those shades, John gave him those shades. He kept them, all these years, and he kept them. The band was playing now, and holy shit Dave is an amazing singer. John spent the whole concert just gazing at Dave,  _ was he always this attractive,  _ John thought, even if he was, John never would have noticed anyways. Back in high school his catchphrase was “I’m not a homosexual” good thing he sorted all that out freshman year of college. 

Before he knew it the concert was over and the band was heading off stage. John started following the crowd to the exit when Jade grabbed his arm. 

“Where ya goin?” She asked smiling “backstage is this way.”

“Oh, right. Forgot about that” John laughed. 

Jade lead the way to the backstage area. They got to a door with a paper sign that said green room on it. A tall,muscular, and sweaty, man was standing in front of it. Jade said hi to him, he greeted her and let them in. Jade went and tackled Nepeta. As soon as they walked in.

“Egnerd?” John recognized Dave’s voice.

“Dave… you still wear the shades I gave you…” John didn’t know what to say he hadn’t spoken Dave in three years. 

“You still wear ghostbusters merch unironically” Dave pulled him into a hug.  _ This is new Dave used to hate physical affection  _ John thought as he wrapped his arms around his old friend. “I missed you bro” Dave whispered. 

“Missed you too” John whispered back. Dave pulled away and John let him no matter how much he wanted to stay in Dave’s embrace forever.

“WAIT A FUCKING MINUTE! **THIS** IS JOHN EGBERT?” The guy with fluffy hair from earlier asked loudly. “NOT AT ALL WHAT I WAS EXPECTING” 

“KK, what were you expecting?” The one with two tone hair chimed in, he was sitting on a beanbag chair playing some kind of video game, “Your high school best friend was a fucking Jugalo, you don’t get to judge Dave for hanging out with someone seemingly normal.”

“Fuck you.” The other spat out bitterly 

“Maybe later” two tone smirked.

“Oh I guess I should probably introduce you to everyone.” Dave laughed awkwardly. “The angry one is Karkat and that’s his gamer boyfriend Sollux,” he looked towards Jade and Nepeta who were curled up on the floor somehow asleep already, holding each other tight with legs intertwined. “Umm that’s Nepeta and I guess you already know Jade since you came here with her.”

“Oh yeah, Jade is my cousin haha.” John adjusted his Glasses as he replied.

“Oh, cool” Dave said. “Anyways, how have you been bro it’s been like years since I saw you last, I dunno if a lot has changed for you, but damm life has been pretty fuckin whack for me.” Dave starts to ramble. “The past two years have been as insane as a physicist trying to solve cartoons. Like I dropped out of college, moved here to Chicago, reunited with my long lost sister, made some epic friends, started an epic band, developed a nicotine addiction, oh I started doing art commissions for furries to pay for food.” Dave continued recapping his life story until a girl John hadn’t noticed was standing in the corner behind Dave threw something at him. 

“Dave, you’re talking too fast , also, did you forget I was here?” The girl crossed her arms, she looked tall and had long messy black hair with the tips dyed red, she was wearing, a black hoodie that was cropped above her chest and had chains attached to the collar that wrapped around her, a black camisole tank top underneath, a red plaid pleated skirt, some fishnet tights underneath, and huge platform shoes with several heart shaped buckles on them, Probably the source of her height. “I feel,shocked betrayed, hurt, hungry.”

“Oh shit-“ Dave looked at her then looked down at whatever she had thrown at him. “Wait a fuckin minute, did you throw a cat rib at me?” Dave picked up a bone from the ground. 

“Not a cat rib, that one belonged to Sollux’s childhood dog” she smiled. John has decided that whoever this girl is, she is terrifying. 

“You seriously threw one of Ben's bones at Dave just to shut him up?” Sollux looked up from his game. “There are so many better ways you could have done that, that didn’t involve throwing a part of the one of only things I’ve ever cared about at him.” 

“Well I wouldn’t have thrown it if he introduced me to whoever this guy is. Also weren’t we gonna get pizza or something after the show? I’m hungry and not afraid to wake up Nepeta.” At that last part her eyes went dead and she stopped smiling.

“Wow, we get it you don’t fear god.” Karkat sighed from Sollux’s lap.

“Don’t worry Aradia we’re gonna get going as soon as Kanaya gets back.” Dave laughed “Oh yeah, John, this is Aradia she’s our emotional support goth. Aradia, this is John, as in the John I told you about.” 

“Nice to finally meet you.” Aradia smiled again. 

Just then the door opened, a tall woman in a long red skirt stepped into the room, a shorter girl with lavender hair followed behind. 

“We have about an hour till we have to leave the venu.” The taller one said. 

“Epic. Yo, Kanaya, Rose, you two have gotta meet John.” Dave said excitedly putting a hand on John’s shoulder. “John this is my half sister Rose and her girlfriend Kanaya.” 

“So this is the John we’ve heard so much about,” Rose started “a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.” Rose extended her hand, and John shook. 

“Umm nice to meet you too Rose, I didn’t even know Dave had a sister.” John shrugged. 

“Hey neither did I till she reached out.” Dave laughed a little. 

“There’s plenty of time to tell him about that later, but right now we should be getting ready to leave and go get food.” Kanaya cut in.

“Yes! Food ! Please.” Aradia seemed excited “Sollux, stop shooting children and put that away.” She walked over to Nepeta and Jade, she bent down and shook Nepeta’s shoulder. “Time to wake up Peta, we’re getting ready to go.” Nepeta growled as her and Jade got up.


	2. things change, people grow

Dave Strider wasn’t expecting to see John Egbert ever again, but here he was eating pizza, down the street from the venue Dave just played at . Well right now he was in a heated argument with Karkat about some movie. It’s almost like he hasn’t changed at all. almost, he’s definitely gotten hotter since high school.  _ NOPE stop that he’s _ straight remember, Dave thought to himself. 

“What do you think Dave?” John asked, bringing Dave back to reality.

“Um-” Dave didn’t realize he was supposed to be listening.

“You two dumbasses really think anyone was listening to you two argue over a stupid movie?” Sollux cut in “it’s bad enough KK makes me watch that corny shit I do not wanna listen to someone with equally as terrible taste fight with him about it.” 

“Complain all you want, but I know for a fact you secretly loved Four Weddings and a Funeral” Karkat retorted triumphantly. 

“Uhhhgggg can we stop talking about movies for like ten minutes!” Jade whined.

“I have to agree with Jade on this one,” Rose sighed, she appeared to have finished eating and was now knitting something “no offense John but if I hear one more thing about how great Nicolas Cage is I’m going to shove one of my knitting needles through my ear” 

“Wow Egbert I guess some things never change,” Dave really missed this nerd “you ready to admit you had the biggest fucking gayest crush on him in high school?” He asked somewhat jokingly. “Or are we still pretending you’re totally straight and didn’t secretly make out with that pillow I got you?” John blushed a little and Jade chuckled. 

“I NEVER MADE OUT WITH THAT STUPID AMAZING PILLOW!” John raised his voice a little “but, no, we aren’t pretending I’m straight anymore.” John grabbed his neck a little embarrassed.

“Oh shit, congrats for finally figuring yourself out dude. What are you? Bi? Pan? Aro? Ace? Label free?” Dave was trying not to seem too excited that his “straight” best friend might not be as straight as he thought.

“Umm Bi? I think I don’t know what most of those mean.” John shrugged 

“Oh I could’ve told you that,” Aradia said very matter of factly “just look at his jeans, they’re cuffed. Also Fef matched with him on tinder a few months ago.” She smiled. 

“How the fuck do you know who FF maches with on tinder?” Sollux’s voice seemed a little annoyed.

“I was with her when it happened, we checked his profile together and I helped her start a conversation.” Aradia replied, still smiling. 

“Huh, small world.” John said smiling awkwardly. 

“Oh yeah speaking of Feferi, I’m going to her place after this, so you got the apartment all to yourself, Dave.” Aradia winked in Dave’s direction. 

“Well it’s getting late.” Kanaya stated “I think Rose and I are going to head home.” Both her and Rose stood up and grabbed their belongings. “It was a pleasure to meat you John.” 

“See you all tomorrow” Rose waved as her and Kanaya walked to the door.

“I think it’s time for us to head out too.” Jade yawned “come on John let’s get you home so I can go to bed.”

“I can give him a ride home.” Dave offered.

“Huh, ok, drive safe Jade.” John said. Jade and Nepeta walked out together. 

And then there were five. Wait , four? “Where the hell did Aradia go?” Dave was confused. Did she really just ghost? 

“Oh yeah she dipped like three minutes ago.” Sollux said grabbing his coat. “Ready to go KK?” 

“Yeah whatever… see you tomorrow Strider.” Karkat looked at John. “Egbert.” Then he stomped off with Sollux. Leaving just Dave and John

“So… do you want me to take you home? Or do you wanna come hang out at me and Dia’s place for a while?” 

“Umm we can hang at your place.” John smiled as he answered.  _ That damm smile _ , Dave thought, he loves John’s dopey buck toothed smile.

“Aight, let’s bounce.” Dave smirked getting up. The two left the restaurant and started walking to where Dave had parked.

  
  



	3. nice to catch up

Dave’s apartment was… not what John expected. There were Halloween decorations everywhere, and shelves full of bones and dead animals in jars. The only furniture John could see was a red futon and a black lawn chair in front of a table with a computer and some speakers on it. 

“You must really like Halloween.” John chuckled a little.

“Nah bruh, these are up year round.” Dave explained. “I moved in here long after Aradia did the interior design, so I didn’t have much say. But hey i fuckin love all her weird ass bones and bats and shit. Plus, she let me put some of my jars up which is epic. I used to have to hide them in my closet now they’re out for everyone to see, like celebrities nudes only not as embarrassing-” John started laughing,interrupting him. “Huh, oh sorry,”

“Don’t apologize, I missed your rambling.” John smiled at Dave. 

“Y-you wanna go hang in my room? Or would you rather just chill on the futon?” Dave asked.

“Well I’d love to see your room, if you don’t mind.” 

“Sick, follow me.” 

Dave walked over to a door with a whiteboard on it that said “COOLK1D” in red writing surrounded by some dick doodles. Inside his room there was a twin sized bed with blackout curtains around it in a corner, a desk with a computer and some recording equipment along with some turntables, there were more shelves with jars of dead things, a broken sword was hanging above a bookcase. Dave’s room now looked quite similar to his room as a kid, only there wasn’t a puppet in sight. 

“So… what’s been goin on with you? How’s college?”

“Huh! Everythings been goin great. College is good i guess, nothing really exciting happens to me.” John shrugged. “What about you? I thought you were going to school in California, what’re you doing here in Chicago?” 

“Haha that… is a long story.” Dave pulled back the curtains around his bed and sat down. “If you really wanna know I’ll tell you,”

“I do wanna know! I haven't seen you in years, I wanna know what you’ve been up to.” 

“Alright then, come sit and I’ll tell you a tale.” Dave did a bad accent. “So, you are correct that i went to college in Cali for like two months. But I couldn’t handle all the stress so I dipped. A month afterwards i got a message from someone claiming to be my sister. I immediately assumed it was spam but she told me to look up our birth records, so I did. And she was right, I’m apparently a Strilonde, as Rox calls us, turns out Bro is actually my dad, and I have two sisters and an actual brother. I booked it here, to good old Chicago, to meet them. Rose lives here, Dirk moved to Texas last year, and Roxy travels all around the country for work. Anyways I was still kind of a mess art this point, I didn’t have a job or school or anything. I was crashing on Rose’s couch for a while when her girlfriend, Kanaya, finally decided she had enough of me. She got me a job at a record shop, that’s where I met Aradia. She was as much a mess as i was, only in different ways, but because I respect her I’m not getting into that. But like we helped each other through some dark shit, now we live together. Oh and she’s the one that introduced me to Sollux, Nepeta, and Karkat. Then we started a band and now we’re here,” Dave looked at John. “haha sorry, I just kinda word-vomited on you.” 

“No non no, don’t be sorry, that’s pretty fuckin wild.” John reassures him. “I Wish wish my life was that exciting. Also, earlier you mentioned something about a nicotine addiction, did you really start smoking Dave? Do you know what kind of damage cigarettes can do?” 

“Relax bro, I quit cigs, now i just Juul and occasionally smoke a joint with Dia and her girlfriend.” 

“That’s still not very good for you.”

“Whatevs, wanna try some? It’s actually pretty good” 

“No thank you!” 

“Suit yourself,” 

“Wanna watch a movie?” 

“I swear to fucking god if you make me watch Con Air.”

  
  



	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They ended up watching Con Air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is a bit shorter but it's worth it I promise

They ended up watching Con Air. They had moved To the living room and were sitting on the futon. Dave hadn’t seen this movie in a few years, and damm, it was just as bad as he remembered. At least it’s making John happy. Although John wasn’t paying much attention to the movie. He was more focused on Dave, though he was careful not to get caught staring. IT’S NOT HIS FAULT DAVE IS SO PRETTY! Fuck why did he have to get hot(er).

Back when they were kids Dave was super popular, everyone seemed to love him. A different girl seemed to ask him out each week. John was more or less the opposite, the only friend he had was Dave. Thinking about it now, Dave never really liked anyone other than John. No matter how many people asked him out he’d always refuse, and he would never hang out with anyone else. 

“John?” Dave snapped him back to reality “you ok?” 

“H-huh I-I’m fine!” John just realized he was staring at Dave this whole time. “Fuck sorry, I just kinda… spaced out? I guess?” He struggled to come up with an excuse. 

“If you say so. I remember you never getting distracted when the Cage was on screen.” Dave’s voice had a hint of concern in it.

“Haha I dunno my head is just a little clouded right now.” John shrugged. 

“Well then y’all to me goose, what’s making it so you can’t focus on Nicolas Cage’s weird sweaty face?”

“Umm, well…” fuck he can’t just tell Dave he was imagining making out with him. “I was just thinking about high school.” Nice save.

“Really? What about it?”

“Just about how so much has changed, yet so little.” John frowned. “I’m still the same loser I’ve always been, and you’re just as cool and popular as ever.” Dave put a hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. 

“John Egbert,” He took off his shades, “You are one of the coolest people I’ve ever met, you are not and never have been, a loser.” Dave's eyes were a beautiful amber with a red glow to them, John had only ever seen them twice before. 

John had just realized how close he was to Dave. ok here goes nothing, time to make a move. John leaned in till there was barely any space between the two. He closed the space between their lips. Daves lips were a bit chapped and had the slightest taste of strawberry chapstick, John started to pull away when Dave grabbed his face and pulled him closer. It seemed Dave wanted this as much as John did. The credits to Con Air playing in the background.

Dave finally broke the kiss and looked John in the eyes, they were both red as the futon. 

“Fuck”


End file.
